Press Releases

What do you get when you mix a group of pirates, a carefree surfer, a mermaid and a talking Octopus?  Why Rainbow Puppet Productions “A Pirate Party,” of course!  The show is a happy salute to beach movies of the 1960’s and will be held in the Indoor Theatre at Roanoke Island Festival Park August 5, 6, 7 at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased in advance at ticket sales at Roanoke Island Festival Park or the day of the event. Ages 5 and under are free. 

Children to learn about 18th century gardening Aug. 8 

Children ages 3-5 can explore the lush Tryon Palace Kitchen Garden at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, to discover how the royal governor’s food was grown in the 18th century and plant a seed of their own to bring home.

There was a time when thousands of acres of Durham County were covered with tobacco. On a hot July day laborers would follow mules pulling wooden sleds where armfuls of the harvested sticky green leaves were tossed.

The sights and sounds of the Civil War will come to life during Tryon Palace’s Civil War Living History Weekend held at the New Bern Academy Museum Aug. 15-16.

Come play in a medium that's as old as dirt during "Play in the Clay Fun Day" Saturday, Aug. 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. See how the Pee Dee Culture utilized the clay around them, try your hand at making a small piece of pottery, and help us daub the East Lodge walls.

Tomahawk throwing, cannon firing and militia camps are part of the excitement at the 234th annual re-enactment of the Battle at the House in the Horseshoe Aug. 1-2. The House in the Horseshoe State Historic Site will offer other Revolutionary War-era activities including re-enactment of the fight between Philip Alston and David Fanning. The Saturday event will be 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., the Sunday program will be 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. There is a $5 fee for parking.

The North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources State Historic Preservation Office (HPO) is pleased to announce support to 11 historic preservation projects in nine counties around the state with awards of $95,050 in federal grants for 2015.

The North Carolina Maritime Museum plans to celebrate the anniversary of the United States Coast Guard with a number of events planned for July 31 and August 1.  Visitors will be able to see a fully restored Monomoy surfboat, view an extensive collection of Coast Guard model boats, and tour a modern day 47-foot Motor Lifeboat used by the United States Coast Guard today.

In the 1970s, when most movies were made in Hollywood, Earl Owensby decided to build a studio — and create his own independent movies — in North Carolina. Earl Owensby Studios, in Shelby, opened in 1973 and proved that feature films could be produced east of California. In addition to directing and producing, Owensby played leading roles in several of his movies, such as “Death Driver” and “Living Legend: The King of Rock and Roll.”

Bright Star Touring Theatre brings this endearing story of the ugliest duckling in the nest to Roanoke Island Festival Park July 29, 30 and 31 at 10:30 a.m. in the Indoor Theatre at Roanoke Island Festival Park.